LinkedIn is a powerful platform for launching your career. But there are millions of users all trying to be heard from their digital soapbox.

If you want to stand out to recruiters and talent scouts looking to fill your dream job position, then you’ll need to be mindful of how you approach the LinkedIn game. We’ve put together a list of best practices that not only help you put your name out there, but get it noticed too!

Plan Before You Act

Every campaign depends on a good strategy! Get a feel for how other people in your industry are using LinkedIn. Don’t outright copy anyone, but take note of the themes and approaches that successful professionals have adopted. Nothing’s one-size-fits-all, so be mindful about how you will put your own spin on things.

Research companies and organizations whose radar you’d like to show up on. When you’re ready to launch your LinkedIn campaign, you will want to build them into your network, as well as other professional contacts like the ones mentioned above. Keep an eye on their posts and activity, to see what discussions and trends are worth being a part of in the industry.

Who would make the strongest network in your industry?

Be Searchable

In order to appear in searches meant for your talent in your field, you’ll need to make sure your profile is up-to-date with all of your credentials, and uses the correct terminology to describe your skill sets. Make sure your resume and LinkedIn profile are an equal match.

Think of how, when you search on Google, you use keywords to find what you’re looking for. Your recruiters are doing the same thing.

What keywords describe workers who have the position you want?

Polish Your First Impression

When recruiters come across your profile in their network or targeted searches, not only do you have to be visible, you have to be “clickable” too!

This means having a clean, professional, and eye-catching picture for your profile. Just like in real life, people online will make quick assumptions about you based on your image. Do you seem positive? Do you seem serious? If you don’t appear to take care of yourself, why would a recruiter believe you’d take care of their business?

What can you do to improve the impression your image gives?

Don’t Be Afraid To Show Off Your Work

Especially for creatives, having a strong portfolio is as important as having a perfect profile.

Figure out how you want to host it online, typically on a custom webpage. Make sure that the link to your work is obvious and readily available so that recruiters can see the type of work you do through hard examples, instead of just the outline you give in your profile.

Placing the link in the contact info section will keep it high up in your profile details, so visitors spot it right away.

Do you have an online portfolio that you’d love to show off?

Stay Connected

Don’t just add professionals and businesses to your LinkedIn network. Stay up-to-date with their posts and behaviour online.

Not only will this keep you in the know about industry trends, but it will give you a better understanding of a certain company’s culture so you know exactly how to interact with recruiters who express an interest in bringing you on.

Set aside some time throughout the week to go through your updates and notifications, so you don’t miss any important details.

How often do you check in on your network?

Let Others Speak For You

Two amazing features of LinkedIn are the ability to share endorsements and recommendations.

Endorsements can come from anyone, and are as easy as a click. They show that people approve of your efforts, and that your overall work has left a positive impression.

Recommendations are even better, as they allow former colleagues, clients, and employers, to not only show that they like your work, but give a written summary of why you deserve a referral. Think of them as testimonials; seeing how well you worked with others is a huge point of attraction for recruiters.

Who could you get to endorse or recommend you?

Let Them Know You’re Looking

Your LinkedIn profile has a toggle option to indicate whether you are actively looking for employment or not.

Navigate to the “Job” tab and select “Career Interests”. There, you can turn on the feature, as well as indicate specifically what type of employment you are looking for. You can highlight job titles, industries, and several other options that help narrow down which recruiters should be having a look at your profile.

Are you ready to let them know you’re looking?

If you are, then take these tips to heart and make the most of your LinkedIn experience, so you can get the most out of your career!